Hemp seeds are gaining increased recognition as a delicious and nutritious food, but few still know they have significant medicinal value as well…

One of the most potent medicinal foods on the planet is the seed of the cannabis sativa plant, which has a documented history of use in in the Chinese pharmacopeia that goes back to 2727 B.C., and archeological evidence indicating it was likely used as far back as 12,000 B.C.1

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry summarized its nutritional properties as follows:

Hemp seed has high levels of fatty acids, protein, insoluble fiber, and a rich set of minerals and vitamins. It is considered to be perfectly balanced with regard to the ratio (3:1) of two essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for human nutrition, linoleic (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acids (ALA) (omega-3).”

The study also summarized the growing body of research in existence that demonstrates their medicinal properties:

The investigation led to the isolation of 4 new phytochemicals known as lignanamides, namely, cannabisin M (2), cannabisin N (5), cannabisin O (8), and 3,3′-demethyl-heliotropamide (10), along with 6 other liganamides which were already known about within the scientific community. These liganamides were tested in cell studies (in vitro) and exhibited two properties of potential therapeutic relevance:

Antioxidant properties: Lignanamides, 2, 7, and 9-14

Acetylcholinesterase inhibiting properties: 7, 10, and 13.

The beneficial role of antioxidants will already be clear to most readers. Antioxidants, of course, have a broad range of therapeutic properties, from reducing accelerated aging to reducing the risk of DNA damage linked to cancer. But what do acetylcholinesterase inhibitors do? One of the most well known functions of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are to reduce the activity of enzyme that degrade the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, adequate quantities of which are necessary for the optimal functioning of our memory. There are, in fact, an entire class of Alzheimer’s drugs whose purported mechanism of action is to inhibit the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. These, however, have a broad range of side effects, making natural modulators of this enzyme all the more desirable. To this point the researchers concluded their study:

“The bioassay results of the current study suggest that hemp seed, with lignanamides as nutrients, may be exploited for their bioactive potential, because compounds with both antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities are good choices for multitarget anti-Alzheimer’s disease candidates.”